Time switch



J A GERSTEN ELK;

TIME SWI TGH Filed Jul?! 5, 1923 1 7V II v I 7 L r x I a 2 L-\ c 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEY closure an f j tion', and in which: M f

Patented Dee. 14, 1926.

UNITED STATES din-sen a. cnnsrnnmn, or m your, at. Y., assrenoa' '10 EUREKA TOOL m mcm: oo,, or :rnnsmr.

Application: filed l'uly i This invention relates generally to time switches and particularly to time controlled devices for operating standard electric switches.

15 One of the objects of my invention is to provide a time controlled device independent of an electric or other switch and adapted to be aisociated with and to operate such switc 10 Another object of my invention is to 'provide within such device a spring controlled operating member adapted to actuate an independent switch device.

Another object of my invention is to pro- 1,5 .vide in combination with such operating member a cocking element adapted to retain said, member in cocked or inoperative position relative to a switch device, until said cocking element is caused to release such moperatmg member. W

Another object'of my invention is to provide in combination with a switchoperating member, e uipped with-a cocking element, at-ime piece avmg an alarm mechanism, proil vided withwindlng means therefor, the latter adapted to release said cocking element.

Anot er object of my invention is to provide, the time pieceequipped with an alarm mechanism, an, alarm escape arrangement 80 embodied inflsa'id time iece, and winding means for said alarm a apted to operate a switch actuating mechanism, a stop element associated-with such' winding means ada ted .to reach in the field of operation of sai esitl cape arrangement, whereb the latter is sfbpped in its operation, t ereby stoppi'ng a the operation of said winding means.

-The foregoing and further objects will be more fullyapparent from the following de- 60' scription and the accompanying drawings showing re resentative features, ofmy disd iorming part of this specifica- Figure 1 is a cross sectional view through Q myt'device, shown attached over an electric a is a detail View showing the switc operating memberin a position when the electricfswitch has been operated.

I Figure 3 is a plan view of my device in open condition.

102:. Serial llo. 849,587.

Figure 4 'is a detail 'view of the cooking element of my device.

Referring to the drawings, numeral 10 indicates a standard electric push button switch secured in the wall and having a front plate 11 and push buttons 12 and 13. Attached to tlfe plate 11 of the switch there is provided a housing 14 of mysWitch operating mechanism.. 'Q I I Housing 14 is rovided with a hinged front cover 15. ;.T e backof the housing is provided with an aperture 16 for permitting the switch buttons 12 and113 to protrude therethrough.

Side-wise arranged relative to said opening 16 is a switch button operating-lever 17 pivotally mounted at 18. That switch 0 erating lever or actuatin member 17 is 0 an L shape and is provi ed at its longer end with. a lug 19. Opposite this lug 19 there is provided on the rear plate of housing 14 another lug 20. Both. of these lugs are adapted to serve as a seatfor expansion spring 21 which has a tendency of keeping II actuatingrmembe'r 17 in the position shown in Figure 2.

The shorter arm 22 of member 17 has at the end of the L shaped lug an extension 23 which is adapted to press against push button' 12 of electric switch 10. I

A In the body of the lower portion of actuati'ng member 17 there is provided an aperture 24 through which. protrudes toothed cockin element 25 which is normally pressed upwar against the upper edge faperture 24 by means of a coilspring 26.

When lever, 17 is compressed as shown in Figure 1 the tooth of cooking element 25- prevents lever 17 from pressing upon push button 12 ofswitch 10.

In this cocked'position .of lever 17 exten-' sion-23 is superim osed relative to push but-- ten 12. This pus button in the position shown in Figure lindicates that the current is now passing through switch 10, 1 v

In the position shown vin Figure 2 the current is switched off. vi

The moment cocking element 25 has been turned in a downward direction it rel direction from the rear plate of the housing j Figure 2.

. windingmember 29, but

In the cover 15 of the housing there is secured in any convenient manner a timepiece 27 provided with an alarmmechanism not shown, and an escape arrangement, the moving art of which is indicated at 28.

The a arm mechanism of the movement is provided with winding means indicated at 29 which latter has at its end a tooth-or thumb 30, which is adapted to release cocking member 25 when the alarm movement is operated at a given time.

Associated with the winding means 29 is a stop member 31, which also moves with the winding means when the latter is operated. e

The field of operation of this stop member 31 reaches into the field'of operation 0 escape element 28 and when reaching the escape element 28 it stops the latter in its reciprocating motion, thereby also stopping the movement of the winding member 29. The provision of' stop member 31 is particularly desirable for the reason that it not only limits the unwinding function of the at the same time saves the repeated winding thereof, for the purpose of releasing cocking element 25.

The arrangement of the time piece 27 is not shown, since any conventional alarm clock movement may beassociated with m device, provided it is equipped with a wind ing element for the alarm mechanism and astop member for the aforementioned functions required by them.

Operation:

When it is desired to, for instance, turn out the light in a store ata certain hour at night, push button 13 is pressed into switcl. 1(), whereby push button 12 is pushed outwards, and

,presses expansion spring 21.

When the upper edge of opening 2A has reached beyond the field of operation of the toothed portion of cocking'element 25, the

4 latter snaps upwards and prevents the lower lever portion of actuating member 17 from tion, thereafter the -closed.

assum ng its position shown in Figure 2. Now: the alarmmechanism of the time piece is wound to the position shown in Figure 3 so that thumb 30 is in upward position.

Then the time-piece is set to the desired hour when the alarm mechanism is to funclid of the housing is At the hour desired the pin 28 of the escape arrangement is caused to function and will be reciprocated within its 510t- At the same time the escape movement will permit the winding member 29 to move in clockwise member 31.

Thumb 30 passes over the cocking element 25, presses down the latter thereby releasing switch actuating member 17 which presses with its L shaped leg against switch button 12.

Through this function the electric current is cut oftwithin the switch.

Thumb 30 continues in its clockwise di- I rection travelling until stop member 31' comes in the path of reciprocating member 28 of the escape movement. Said pin 28 is stopped by stop member 31, whereby also the winding means 29 is prevented-from further turning. I

My device while shown in connection with an electric push button switchmay be applied to any other apparatus requiring a time controlled releasing movement and 1 f therefore shall not be limited only to the.

application shown in the drawings. Its' great advantage lies in thefact that it may be attached to any existing device requiring such releasing functions and which is subjected to the regulations of the fire underwriters. 'It therefore may be fipplie'd to any push button switchwhich has been approved.-

While I have shown a specific form of my invention applicable for switching off direction together with stop an electric push buttonswitch, be it understood that the identical mechanism in duplicate may be applied for the use of switching on and switching off an electric push button switch.

Such arrangement is not shown in the drawings as the application of my invention for such purpose is obvious. Be it understood, therefore, that not only changes and improvements, but also the multiple arrangement ofmy invention may be made without departing from the broad scope of any. invent-ion, for which Lelaim: presses with it the L shaped lug of switch actuating member 17, and de- 1. In aclock controlled push button switch, a time piecehaving an alarm winding member, arranged in near proximity to a pair of push buttons, a spring propelled pivotal lever operating between said time piece and said push buttons and adapted to actuate one of them, a spring controlled detentor cocking member extending through said lever and adapted to normally hold the latter in cocked position, said detent projecting intothepath of operation of said winding member.

2. In a switch, ahousing provided with a hinged portion,

clock controlled push button a time piece arranged in the latter and provided with an alarm winding member, a pair of push buttons "extending through said housing towards said time piece, a spring propelled lever arranged within the housing and adapted ,to actuate one of the push buttons, a spring actuated detent projecting through said lever and adapted to normally keep said lever in inoperative position,'said detent extending inr to the path of operation of said alarm winding member, the latter adapted to engage said detent and depress it, thereby causing the release of said lever which latter, propelled by its spring wiil actuate the push button.

Signed at New Ydrk, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 2nd day of June A. D. 1923.

JESSE A. GERSTENFELD. 

